Refrigerator crate



Feb. 21, 1961 T. MUNROE 2,972,

REFRIGERATOR CRATE Filed 001;. 30, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. THOMAS MUNROE W xm ATTORNEYS Feb. 21, 1961 T. MUNROE REFRIGERATOR CRATE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. '50, 1957 WWW INVENTOR. H OMA S MUNROE ATTORNEYS United States Patent REFRIGERATOR CRATE Thomas Munroe, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Moraine Box Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Oct. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 693,375

4 Claims. (Cl. 229-23) This invention relates to crates, particularly crates made of corrugated paper with wooden stiffening rails and more particularly still to crates of this nature that can be substantially completely prefabricated and shipped flat to a point of use.

In the packaging of a great many articles of commerce such as refrigerators and the like, it has been found that corrugated paper cartons are quite adequate for protecting the articles when properly constructed and that crates of this nature can readily be handled by modern conveying devices so that this type of crate has come into relatively wide usage for this type of merchandising.

Most corrugated paper crates or cartons however, of any substantial size require considerable fabrication at the point of use whereby some considerable time and expense can be involved in crating up an article such as an electric refrigerator.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a corrugated paper crate or carton of a substantial size which can be substantialy completely prefabricated at the manufacturing plant for the cartons and shipped flat to a point of use and then readily and quickly arranged for being placed about the refrigerator or the like which it is to enclose.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of a corrugated paper crate for refrigerators and the like which protects the refrigerator at all times but which utilizes a minimum of wood rails and braces.

Still another object of this invention is'the provision of a corrugated paper crate or the like for enclosing such articles as refrigerators in which the refrigerator and crates are firmly held in such relation that the surface of the crated article is protected from damage at all times.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a corrugated paper crate or carton which is extremely strong but in which a minimum of material is employed.-

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings in whichz Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an electric refrigerator or the like enclosed in a crate according to the present invention and with the crate partlybroken away to show the fastening of the refrigerator to the base thereof and other details; j V

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the broken away corner of the carton of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view looking down on top of the crate in about the same way it is viewed in Figure 1 but with the top flaps ofthe crate turned back to show m Figure 6 is a developed view showing theside walls of 34 is provided and it is secured as by staples 44 to the Patented Feb. 21, 1961 the crate as they appear after they have been fabricated at the crate manufacturing plant and before being formed into a carton;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the use of a joint member to provide for additional stiffening braces in the carton;

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a modified carton construction according to this invention;

Figure 9 is a developed view of the carton blank for the carton of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modification in which the top of the carton according to Figure 1 is closed by a separate panel having edge portions that interlock with the upper edges of paper side panels of the carton; and

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view showing the interlocking joint between the top panel of Figure 10 and a side panel of the carton.

Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, in Figure 1 there is disclosed an article 10 which may be an electric refrigerator or the like that is enclosed in a carton generally indicated at 12 constructed according to the present invention. The carton 12 comprises a base 14 to which the refrigerator is secured as by bolts 16 so they can be rigid therewith Bolts 16 in the case of refrigerators can be threaded into or passed through the holes provided in the base of a refrigerator for receiving the adjustable feet thereof. l

Upstanding from the base are the side walls 18 of the carton or crate and the top of the crate or carton is closed by top flaps at 20.

Reference at this point to Figure 6 will show that the side walls 18 of the crate consist of fours sections, two short sections being indicated at 22 and being of about the height of the crate and with the sections 22 having the wood stiffening rails extending transversely across the bottom at 26 and across the top at 23 and at an intermediate level at 3%. These rails may be secured to the corrugated paper of the section 22 by staples or by an adhesive or both. Each of the panels 22 also has vertically extending rails 32 along the edges thereof so that the panels 22 are completely framedin Wood rails and reinforced thereby.

Extending between the adjacent edges of the panels 22 is a longer panel 34 which is not provided with stiffening rails but which is secured as by staples 36, or adhesive ifsodesired to the adjacent vertical side rails 32 of the panels 22. Panel 34 comprises also an upwardly extending flap part. 38 which is of a length that it will extend across the top of the completed carton or crate thus closing the top portion thereof. Portion 38has flaps 40 at the sides thereof on about the upper half and these flaps 40 are'adapt'ed for being'stapledto rails 23 when the crate or carton is made up. j

A second panel 42 substantially identical with panel other one of the rails 32 of the one of the shorter panels 22. Panel 42 also has an upwardly extending portion 46having flaps 48 extending from the side. Panel 42 also has a long flap at 50 adapted for being stapled to the last one of the vertical rails 32 when the cartonvis madeup.

The basic blank described above, and-Which ismade' from fiat pieces of corrugated paper and wood rails stapled or adhesively secured together if desired forms '48 thereof are stapled to the rails 28 as by the staples indicated at 52 in Figure l. The crate or carton is now in the form of a tube with all the walls interconnected and braced together and with a double thickness top with each thickness of the top being firmly secured to three walls.

Assuming that the refrigerator has already been bolted to the base 14, the assembling of the crate with the refrigerator is accomplished merely by placing a cap member over the top of the refrigerator and then lowering the crate downwardly over the refrigerator, open end first. The cap member referred to is indicated at 54 in Figures 1, 2, and 3 and consists of a flat sheet of corrurefrigerator are held in precisely spaced relation with the adjacent walls of the crate. This maintains a space between the walls of the refrigerator and the walls of the crate thereby preventing damage to the refrigerator under ordinary handling conditions.

It will be understood that the cap member 54 could be lined with a fleece-like paper product known in the art thereby to prevent any possibility at all of the finish of the refrigerator being scratched.

The cap member 54- will sometimes be required to take up more space between the walls of the crate and the side walls of the refrigerator than is indicated in Figure 3 and with this in mind Figure 4 illustrates a modification of the capmember wherein the top panel 62 thereof has blocks 64 at two side edges with these blocks being notched out inwardly from their ends so that the blocks 66 can be arranged depending from beneath the panel 62 and extending thereacross but spaced inwardly from the edges so that considerably less material is required for making up an effective top cap than would otherwice be necessary where the crate for one reason or another is substantially larger in one dimension than the article being crated or in case the article is smaller at the top than at an intermediate portion.

The base 14 previously referred to consists of two spaced relatively wide members 70 that receive the aforementioned bolts 16. Extending transversely beneath the base member 7d are the narrower members '72 which project slightly outwardly beyond the sides of the member 70. When the crate or carton is slipped downwardly over the refrigerator the bottom rails 26 of panels 22 will extend along the sides of member 72 and are attached thereto by staples or nails 74. The bottoms of panels 34 and 42 will lay along the sides of member 70 and may be secured thereto by staples if desired although this is not essential. It may be noted at this point that the bottom of panels 32 and 42 are turned upwardly at 76 to provide a stiff double thick section and the turned up portions are secured to the main part of the panel by staples 78.

It will be seen that by this invention what is provided is a very simple but extremely strong crate or carton that can easily be manufactured because it consists of simply shaped fiat panels attached to stiff wood rails and with the panels being interconnected so that the crate or carton can be shipped flat. folded into the condition into which it is to be used at the point of usage with very simple details and in very little time and with the exercise of only a small amount of skill.

All of the materials employed in the crate are relatively inexpensive and thus no problem "exists of returning the crate after use.

In the carton of Figures 1 through 6 additional supporting brace members could be provided by utilizing the clip construction or joint member disclosed and claimed in my issued Patent 2,700,457. The manner of utilizing this clip is illustrated in Figure 7 wherein the clip is shown at 100 embracing one of the rails 32 so that an auxiliary The crate can readily be a brace member ttiz'could be provided extendingaere's's one of the unsupported cardboard panels. As many of these auxiliary brace elements could be provided as desired and it would only be necessary in certain cases to slit the cardboard of the carton where the attaching clip passed about the rail 32 to permit the auxiliary brace element to be mounted in place.

Another modification of this invention is illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, wherein the carton comprises an enclosure adapted for appliances or the like which are relatively short as opposed to the refrigerator illustrated in Figure 1. A carton for a shorter appliance such as a stove or water heater or the like could be constructed according to Figures 8 and 9 while still embodying the principles of my invention.

This modified carton comprises the reenforced side panels 1M and 1% between which extend the corrugated cardboard panel 198 and which is secured to the reenforced panels as by the staples 11%.

From each end of panel 168 there extends the smaller flaps or panels 112 and 114, each of which comprise edge portions 118 on opposite side edges.

In forming the enclosure from the carton blank of Figure 9, the reenforced side panels 1M and 1% are bent downwardly from the plane of panel 1% and'then the end panels 112 and 114 are bent downwardly and the edge portions 118 are formed about the end rails of panels 104 and 106, to be secured thereto by adhesive Oi nails or by the staples 129 as illustrated in Figure 8.

The carton is then ready to be placed over the appli ance and in encircling relation with abase 122, to which the carton is adapted for being secured by nails 124. The lower edges of the flaps 114 may be rolled upwardly if desired, as has been illustrated and described iii-connection with the panels 34 of the first modification. In any case, the carton is relatively inexpensive and easy to con struct, canbe shipped flat, readily prepared for use by unskilled labor, quickly mounted about the article which it is to enclose, and the cartons are adequately stiff to permit the stacking of a number thereof.

As in the case of the first described modification, a top cap could be provided inside the carton and on top of the article or appliance being enclosed, if so desired, thereby further to protect the enclosed article from possible damage. h

The previously described modifications have embodied an integral panel forming the top of the carton or have been provided with flaps to form the carton top, but it is also within the scope of the present invention to provide a separate top cap, and such an arrangement is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. In these figures the cardboard panel extending between thereenforced panels is indicated at 130, and from the upper edge of each of the panels 130 are short flaps or edge portions 138 adapted for being bentv downwardly so as to engage an upturned edge portion 136 of a top cap member 132. .This top cap member also has edge portions at 134- adapted for being bent downwardly over the top edges of the r'eenforced panels, and the top can be secured in place as by the metal band 140 to complete the assembling of the carton.

The modification of Figures 10 and 11 permits the carton to be formed into a tube, open at both ends, and can then be set down over the appliance or the like being crated, thereafter any suitable filler member can be placed on top of the article being crated, and the top cap then secured in place. 1

The same features previously referred to are present in Figures 10 and 11 modification, in that a pair of reenforced panels are provided and associated with which is at least one cardboard panel with the cardboard and reenforced panels being adapted for forming susbtantially the entire carton enclosure.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different-usages "and to form a rectangular enclosure, said second pair of panels having their lower edges folded inwardly to form a double thickness, said second pair of panels having portions extending from the upper edges thereof and each of an area to form a complete top closure for the carton, said portions being adapted for being folded over in overlapping relation, and each said portion having flap means formed along both side edges thereof along about the half thereof remote from the connection of the portions with their respective panels, whereby said flap means are being adapted for being secured directly and independently to the rails along the top edges of said first mentioned panels.

2. In a carton; a wooden base adapted for having an article to be crated secured thereto, a plurality of corrugated rectangular paper panels extending upwardly from said base about the article, two opposite of said panels having wooden rails extending along the top and bottom and side edges on the outside and secured thereto, the other two panels extending about the adjacent edges of rails of the adjacent panels and being secured to the outside thereof, said other two panels having portions extending upwardly from the top edges thereof adapted for being folded down into overlapping relation to form a top closure for the carton and each being of a size completely to close said carton, said portions having flaps on the side edges thereof adapted for being secured to the outside faces of the rails along the top edges of said first mentioned pair of panels, and the rails along the bottom edges of said first mentioned pair of panels engaging the side edges of said wooden base and being adapted for being secured thereto as by nails or the like, the lower edges of said other pair of panels being turned upwardly to provide a rolled double thickness edge along the bottoms thereof.

3. A carton blank adapted for being formed into a sleeve-like enclosure adapted for being placed over a base mounted article to enclose the same and comprising; two spaced corrugated rectangular paper panels, wooden rails reinforcing said panels along at leastthe top, side and bottom edges thereof and secured to the panels, a second pair of rectangular panels, one of said second pair of panels being disposed between said first mentioned panels and having its side edges secured to the adjacent side rails of the panels on the outside, the other of said second pair of panels having one side edge secured to one of the other side rails of the first pair of panels and having its other edge adapted for being secured to the remaining side rail of the other of the first pair of panels, two of said panels having portions extending upwardly from the upper edge thereof adapted for being folded over into overlapping relation to close the top of the carton when the blank is folded to form a rectangular enclosure and each portion being as large in area as said enclosure, said portions extending upwardly from the top edges from said second pair of said panels and having marginal portions adapted for being bent down and attached to the top rails of said first pair of panels, said marginal portion extending along only the outer half of each of said portion whereby the said portion can be connected individually and directly to the top rails of the reinforced panels.

4. A carton blank adapted for being formed into a sleeve-like enclosure adapted for being placed over a base mounted article to enclose the same and comprising; two spaced corrugated rectangular paper panels, wooden rails reinforcing said panels along at least the top, side and bottom edges thereof and secured to the panels, a second pair of rectangular panels, one of said second pair of panels being disposed between said first mentioned panels and having its side edges secured to the adjacent side rails of the panels on the outside, the other of said second pair of panels having one side edge secured to one of the other side rails of the first pair of panels and having its other edge adapted for being secured to the remaining side rail of the other of the first pair of panels, two of said panels which are disposed opposite each other when the blank is formed into a sleeve-like enclosure having portions extending upwardly from the upper edge thereof adapted for being folded over into overlapping relation to close the top of the carton when the blank is folded to form a rectangular enclosure, said portions extending upwardly from the top edges of said second pair of said panels and each being large enough completely to close the end of the carton, said portions having flaps extending laterally from about the upper half thereof so that when the carton is formed into a rectangular enclosure and the portions are folded down each of the said flaps can be secured directly to the rails extending along the top edges of the first pair of said panels, said second pair of panels having their lower edges turned inwardly and upwardly to provide for a double thickness.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 24,220 Richardson Sept. 18, 1956 1,202,042 Fairchild Oct. 24, 1916 1,280,718 Greenstreet Oct. 8, 1918 2,000,982 Petersen May 14, 1935 2,027,804 Babcock Jan. 14, 1936 2,665,002 Bauman Jan. 5, 1954 2,727,675 Mairs Dec. 20, 1955 2,730,287 Mueller Jan. 10, 1956 2,783,930 Riley Mar. 5, 1957 2,808,978 Wright Oct. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS I 134,870 Sweden Mar. 11, 1952 

